Published: 20.05.2023
The day after yesterday, which is today, began in the small village of Arna, where I headed to a café after getting up. The café was still closed, but there were already some older gentlemen sitting in front of it, waiting for their coffee. This image of quaint cafés and taverns that characterize these cozy little villages in an incomparable, charming way will remain a typical one for me, which I associate with this country.
While I was waiting, an elderly lady approached me and offered me coffee in her tavern, which was at the other end of the village square.
For some reason, the huge coffee consisted of 98.9% foam. Due to the language barriers and my understanding of grateful hospitality, I had no choice but to sip the glass empty with a smile, without showing any hint. She sat directly across from me and smiled with every spoonful I took, because she wanted to do something good for me with grandmotherly care. And she certainly did, although my entire digestion was a bit overwhelmed afterwards.
It was a wonderfully funny situation, especially because the old lady spoke to me as if I spoke her language, but I didn't understand a word, not even when she spoke extra slow and repeated the words. As the saying goes: you cannot not communicate. Somehow we communicated with each other, and what remains is another beautiful memory in terms of warmth and hospitality.
Back on the trail, my digestion was back on track, at least after my body was completely drained once.
The stage was not easy, but by now I had the feeling of getting fitter every day. Moreover, the attitude towards the circumstances also changes. The evaluation and questioning of the circumstances becomes less with time, and one reaches a mental state that accepts and accepts the circumstances and external conditions more easily. Of course, with every step the end comes closer and becomes more tangible, which gives additional energy and pushes.
The adaptability of the body is also extremely remarkable. A wonderful feeling to be able to surpass oneself every day.
In the midst of a forest, there was another encounter with one or more wild boars. This time, the boar stood about 50m away from me, and we both looked at each other in shock. I dropped my backpack, put it in reverse gear, and fled to the nearest tree behind me. The boar was also in panic and immediately ran away. Other members of the species followed him up the slope. For the rest of the trail in the forest, I was quite nervous and tried to draw attention to myself with loud shouts from time to time. I had noticed the many disturbed areas along the entire hiking path since the beginning, indicating a high wild boar population.
Then there was a lot of asphalt under the midday sun. Tough, but in pure functional mode, it's actually not worth mentioning. It is what it is.
The final destination then finally offered no dining options, so I added another 8km to the 22km I had already walked.
Last evening in Plantanos, which was only 10km away from the sea and the city of Gythio, which is the goal.
Best starting point for the last day.